Gala dinner for Turkey's Presidential couple

Mrs Zeynep Babacan and Prince Carl Philip during the gala dinner at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/Scanpix

On Monday 11 March, The King and Queen hosted a gala dinner at the Royal Palace of Stockholm for the Turkish Presidential couple, in connection with their state visit.

The guests were received and greeted by The King and Queen and the Presidential couple in the Vita Havet Assembly Rooms. The dinner was then held in Karl XI's Gallery. Guests included President Gül's official retinue, representatives from the diplomatic corps, the Riksdag, the Swedish Government, counties and authorities, as well as representatives from the Swedish scientific, cultural and business communities. The King escorted Mrs Hayrünnisa Gül, wife of President Abdullah Gül, to the table. Mrs Sare Davutoğlu, wife of Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, was seated to his left. The Queen was escorted to the table by President Abdullah Gül. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu was seated to her right. The Crown Princess was accompanied to the table by Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan. President Abdullah Gül was seated to her right. Prince Carl Philip escorted Mrs Zeynep Babacan, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, to the table. Mrs Hayrünnisa Gül, wife of President Abdullah Gül, was seated to his left. Prince Daniel escorted Mrs Sare Davutoğlu, wife of Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, to the table. Professor Elisabeth Özdalga, wife of Nazmi Haluk Özdalga, a member of the Turkish Government, was seated to his left. Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson was escorted to the table by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. Adnan Keskin was seated to her right.

Menu

The dinner began with pointed cabbage roulade filled with scallops and king crab, trout roe vinaigrette and mesclun salad. The guests were then served pike-perch fillet fried on the skin side with butter sauce, black truffle risotto and caramelised chicory. This was followed by roast fillet of beef from Nobis farm with shallot crisp, oxtail sauce, sweetened leek and sour puy lentils. For dessert, cherry mousse with a nougat centre was served with coffee ice-cream.

Jewellery and attire

The King wore State Order of Turkey, the Order of the Seraphim, decoration and grand star, the Order of Vasa's grand cross and star and the Order of the Polar Star's cross on a black ribbon around his neck. He also wore four memorial medals of Kings Gustaf V, Gustaf VI Adolf, Haakon VII and Olav V of Norway (miniature badges). The Queen wore a black embroidered velvet jacket and skirt. This was accompanied by Queen Sophia's brilliant tiara, a brilliant necklace and pearl pear-shaped earrings. The Queen wore the Order of the Seraphim's light blue ribbon, decoration and grand star. The Crown Princess wore a black velvet dress. This was accompanied by a steel tiara with matching comb and brilliant earrings. The Crown Princess wore the Order of the Seraphim's light blue ribbon, decoration and grand star, and a brooch from Princess Lilian. Prince Carl Philip and Prince Daniel wore the Order of the Seraphim's light blue ribbon, decoration and grand star. Prince Carl Philip also wore four medals in miniature: The King's Commemorative Medal, the National Service Medal, the Karlberg Medal and the Uppland Medal.

The dinner service

The silverware was from the Brazilian silver service. The service is so called because it previously belonged to the Brazilian imperial family. Following the death of Empress Amalia in 1873 it was inherited by her sister, Queen Dowager Josefina of Sweden. The linen came from Belgium, and was commissioned in the 1980s with The King and Queen's face-to-face monogram woven into it. The glassware was a wedding present to The King and Queen in 1976. It was designed by Sigrun Persson for Kosta. The porcelain used for the first course and the dessert is from Rörstrand, and was designed by Karin Björquist. The porcelain used for the fish course belonged to Queen Josefina and dates from the late 19th century. The place of manufacture is unknown. The porcelain used for the meat course belonged to the Grand Duchess of Baden and was made in the 1850s in Berlin.

The flowers

The theme for the flower arrangement was spring. The flowers on the table in Karl XI's Gallery were white and yellow tulips, pale green viburnums and pale yellow matricarias.